The Word Is Alive The Gospel of Luke Chapter Seventeen Presented by Tony Gillon.

The Word Is AliveThe Gospel of Luke

Chapter SeventeenPresented by Tony Gillon

Chapter SeventeenLuke 9:51–19:27 -

The Journey to Jerusalem (continues)



Luke 13:22–17:10 - The second mention of the journey to Jerusalem

(continues/concludes)



Luke 13:22–17:10 - The second mention of the journey to Jerusalem


Luke 14:7–17:10 - Various Teachings and Parables


The Journey to Jerusalem

Summary of Chapter Seventeen

• The cost of leading others to sin.




• Strengthening the disciples faith.





• The arrival of the Kingdom of God.





• The arrival of the Kingdom of God.

• Not everyone will be saved.


Luke 17:1-10 - Sin, faith, duty


Luke 17:1-10 - Sin, faith, duty

• Strong warnings to those who cause others to sin.

• Service is a duty for which no reward should be sought or expected.


1 Jesus said to his disciples: Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.


1 Jesus said to his disciples: Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.

God has ordained that things that cause people to sin are bound to come but that does not excuse any individual from being the cause of temptation to others, for Jesus says: woe to that person through whom they come.


The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him (Luke 22:22).


The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him (Luke 22:22).

This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross (Acts 2:23).


Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen (Acts 4:27–28).


Even when something is done ‘by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge’ it does not release us from our individual responsibility from doing what is right in keeping with the Gospel.


2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied round his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

A millstone is a round stone used for grinding grain


Better for him, than for:

Drowning with a millstone around one’s neck has less serious consequences because there may not be the same eternal consequences associated with causing one of these little ones, who believe in Christ or who have begun to follow him in some way, to sin.


But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea (Matthew 18:6).


Anyone who receives even the lowliest person receives Christ.

Anyone who causes a believer to sin or lose faith will be severely punished.


3 So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent’, forgive him.


If your brother sins refers here to individual acts of sin or transgressions of moral laws. It applies to all sin as they are not graded in any way in God’s eyes, except for blaspheming the Holy Spirit.


Rebuke him:

Sin cannot be overlooked but must be rebuked so that repentance and restoration can occur. Jesus also teaches them to do so in all humility.


Personal comment:

Remember, it’s rebuke him, it’s not judge him!


If he repents, forgive him seven times:

In Judaism it was considered honourable to forgive three times. The disciples, as part of the new covenant community, were expected to exceed that standard. When forgiving someone we should also wish them well and not hold a grudge.


Instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow (2 Corinthians 2:7).


Instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow (2 Corinthians 2:7).

Do not say, I’ll do to him as he has done to me; I’ll pay that man back for what he did. (Proverbs 24:29).


God does all these things to a man — twice, even three times — to turn back his soul from the pit, that the light of life may shine on him (Job 33:29-30).


God does all these things to a man — twice, even three times — to turn back his soul from the pit, that the light of life may shine on him (Job 33:29-30).

This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. Because she threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth (Amos 1:3).


This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6).


Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21-22).


Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21-22).

If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times (Genesis 4:24).


It is important to avoid misunderstandings as they can lead to all sorts of problems and even conflict within fellowships.

One example came in the OT when the two and a half tribes were returning to their inheritance to the east of the Jordan River and they built a memorial altar.


When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community — the heads of the clans of the Israelites — heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, Today we know that the LORD is with us, because you have not acted unfaithfully towards the LORD in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the LORD’s hand.(Joshua 22:30-31).


5 The apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith!

6 He replied, If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it will obey you.


Increase our faith!

The disciples wish to have their faith increased so they can then become better disciples for Jesus.


A mustard seed:

He replied, Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you (Matthew 17:20).


Two conditions for answered prayer:

• abiding in Jesus and his words.

• the Spirit abiding in believers, thus transforming their thinking.

Elsewhere, we read that it will be given if we ask in Jesus name, but that too is linked to the above.


Faith is a settled trust and confidence in God based on his character and promises as revealed in scripture.

Vacillating between trusting God and trusting the world, or in one’s own natural abilities, makes a person like a wave of the sea; that is, a picture of instability and uncertainty.


A person who doubts God’s goodness dishonours him. Such a person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord since he is unsure whether God is good or will do good.

It is a double-minded person that is in two minds; torn between God and the world and is, therefore, unstable in all their ways.


Most NT letters contain final words of warning in their closing lines.

Keep yourselves from idols means keep yourselves from trusting, obeying, revering and following; that is, in effect, from worshiping anyone or anything other than God himself and his Son, Jesus.


Uprooted and planted in the sea:

In practice, the apostles’ faith would not manifest itself in such dramatic signs but in their preaching, healing and perseverance.


7 Suppose one of you had a servant ploughing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat?’ 8 Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink?’


9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’.


The question of v.9, ‘would he thank the servant?’ implies an answer of no. Jesus is not, however, encouraging anyone to be inconsiderate or rude.


We are unworthy servants:

God owes us nothing but we owe him everything.


We are unworthy servants:

God owes us nothing but we owe him everything.

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?(1 Corinthians 4:7).


Our service to God is continuous and it is our duty.

Grace, mercy and salvation are greater rewards than we could ever expect or earn.


Luke 17:11–19:27 - The third mention of the journey to Jerusalem


Luke 17:11–19:27 - The third mention of the journey to Jerusalem

This section begins with the third mention of Jesus’ intention of completing his final journey to Jerusalem.


Luke 17:11–19 – Ten healed of leprosy


Luke 17:11–19 – Ten healed of leprosy

Jesus heals 10 lepers of whom only one, a Samaritan, expresses thanks. Leprosy was seen as a disease inflicted by God as a direct result of someone’s particular sin. Therefore, Jesus always took especial care to heal lepers as it helped them to understand who he was and the kingdom message he proclaimed to them. It also allowed them to return to being in community.


11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.


11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.

On his way to Jerusalem:

Resolutely set out for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).

He made his way to Jerusalem (Luke 13:22).


Samaria:

The Samaritans were a racially mixed group of partly Jewish and partly Gentile ancestry who were disdained by both Jews and non-Jews.

See 2 Kings Chapter 17 and notes on Luke 10:33 for the full account of the capture and resettling of Samaria by the Assyrians.


12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, Jesus, Master, have pity on us!


Ten men who had leprosy uses the Greek word lepra that indicated a variety of serious skin diseases and was not limited to what is today called leprosy or Hansen’s disease.

The OT provided specific guidelines for the examination and treatment of those with a variety of skin diseases generally called leprosy, many of which were highly contagious.


Stood at a distance:

Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so that they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them. (Numbers 5:2-3).


Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, Why stay here until we die?(2 Kings 7:3).


The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp (Leviticus13:45–46).


Have pity:

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire’.(Luke 16:24)


He called out, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me! (Luke 18:38–39).


14 When he saw them, he said, Go, show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed.


Show yourselves to the priests:

The rationale for this instruction is found in Leviticus 14:2–32.

Even the Samaritan went to the priests as Samaritans had their own version of the Pentateuch which would have given the same instructions.


As they went, they were cleansed:

The priests would declare them clean.

They had to begin to obey Jesus’ command to go to the priests before they were actually healed.

Disciples have to learn to obey Jesus even if the logic of it doesn’t seem right.


When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch. Simon answered, Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.(Luke 5:4-6).


Naaman’s servants went to him and said, My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed?’ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy (2 Kings 5:13–14).


15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.16a He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him


One leper came back as confirmed in:

Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant.(2 Kings 5:15), praising God with a loud voice.


Threw himself at Jesus feet:

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean (Luke 5:12).


And thanked him:

Elsewhere in the NT such giving of thanks is always directed to God in every one of 37 other occurrences of the Greek verb eucharisteō.


Personal comment:

How many times do we forget to thank God for the abundance of good things he provides each and every day, let alone forgetting or neglecting to thank him for this amazing miracle. Followers of Jesus are called to be thankful people, both to God and to all the people we encounter during our daily lives, such as those who serve us in supermarkets, etc.


16b and he was a Samaritan.


16b and he was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no-one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? 19 Then he said to him, Rise and go; your faith has made you well.


Personal comment:

In modern times one out of ten giving praise to God for what he is doing in everyone’s lives would be seen as revival. How expectations have changed.


Luke 17:20–37 - The coming of the kingdom


Luke 17:20–37 - The coming of the kingdom

This account consists of two sections involving the ‘already now’ (vv.20–21) and ‘but not yet’ (vv.22–37) of the kingdom. Israel was expecting a temporal kingdom. They anticipated being raised up above all the other nations of the world and taking what they saw as their rightful place as God’s chosen race. But Jesus was consistently preaching of a spiritual kingdom. One that would stand forever.


Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place (John 18:36).


20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation,


The Pharisees apparently desire to know the cosmic signs preceding the coming of the kingdom so that they can be sure not to miss it. Jesus replies that the kingdom will not come with your careful observation. This phrase translates the Greek word paratērēsis that occurs only here in the entire Bible.


In light of vv.21–37, Jesus apparently means that the arrival of the Kingdom of God will not be accompanied by spectacular signs in the heavens but rather that the kingdom will come quietly, evident only in the change in people’s hearts and lives.


The Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19) will be given in response to those who were expecting the kingdom to appear immediately


The Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19) will be given in response to those who were expecting the kingdom to appear immediately

Jesus would later tell his disciples that it was not for them to know the date or time of its coming. There remained a misunderstanding of the type of kingdom that Jesus was heralding in.


21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is’, or ‘There it is’, because the kingdom of God is within you.


21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is’, or ‘There it is’, because the kingdom of God is within you.

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God (Luke 14:15).

The Jews failed to recognise that the Kingdom of God has already come.


Although the translation here records Jesus saying ‘the Kingdom of God is within you’, there are many commentators who believe that he would not say this to disbelieving Pharisees.

It is thought is within you, i.e. in the person of Jesus and in the reign of God manifested in those who are already following Jesus.


22 Then he said to his disciples, The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.


Son of Man is Jesus’ favourite self-designation

1. The humble servant.

2. The suffering servant.

3. The glorious King and Judge.


One of the days probably means they will long to see a day when Jesus has already returned to the earth and is with them again but some take it to mean they will long for the time when Jesus was with them on earth.


One of the days probably means they will long to see a day when Jesus has already returned to the earth and is with them again but some take it to mean they will long for the time when Jesus was with them on earth.

You will not see it because he will no longer be on earth and will not yet have returned.


23 Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.



24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.



24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.

25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.


First he must suffer:

The consummation of the kingdom requires that a divine event must first take place. That is the obligation that Jesus must first die according to God’s plan in order to redeem a people for himself.


This generation:

This does not refer to everyone then living but just the leaders and other influencial members of society who did not believer the message of John the Baptist or Jesus.


26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.


28 It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.


Eating, drinking is not a description of specific evils in the days of Noah and Lot. It means rather that life went on as normal and people were caught unprepared.


The Lord, the LORD Almighty, called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! Let us eat and drink, you say, for tomorrow we die!(Isaiah 22:12-13).


30 It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no-one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no-one in the field should go back for anything.


On the roof as previously discussed envisions a Palestinian home with a flat roof and outside stairs. This was used as a domestic space and was quite a cool place, especially on balmy evenings.


Inside the house or in the field are simple analogies using imagery familiar to the original listeners, which stress that there will be no time to prepare when the Son of Man comes.

Some interpreters argue from the Palestinian details of this illustration that Jesus is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70.


32 Remember Lot’s wife!



As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away! (Genesis 19:17).



As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away! (Genesis 19:17).

But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).


33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.


33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it (Luke 9:24).


Jesus’ paradoxical statement demands two different senses of the word life: whoever lives a self-centred life focused on this present world.


34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.


Taken, left indicate that one is caught up to be with Christ while the other is left as we read:

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Matthew 24:31).


{{36 (KJV) Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left}}

Verse 36 is not included in the NIV translation


Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.(Psalm 21:8).


Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.(Psalm 21:8).

Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD.(Obadiah 4).


Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks (John 4:23).


Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks (John 4:23).

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.(1 Timothy 2:8).


37 Where, Lord? they asked. He replied, Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.

Luke Chapter Seventeen Ends

The Word Is Alive The Gospel of Luke Chapter Seventeen Presented by Tony Gillon.

Documents

Transcript of The Word Is Alive The Gospel of Luke Chapter Seventeen Presented by Tony Gillon.